Investment Options

A Self-Directed IRA gives you the opportunity to make investment decisions in areas based on your knowledge and expertise. From real estate to private lending, you can choose from a wide variety of different types of investments allowed.

Learning Center

About Entrust

"For almost 40 years, The Entrust Group has provided account administration services for self-directed retirement and tax-advantaged plans. Entrust can assist you in purchasing alternative investments with your retirement funds, and administer the buying and selling of assets that are typically unavailable through banks and brokerage firms."

5 Unique Real Estate IRA Investments

Self-directed IRAs offer the ability to use real estate investments to build retirement funds. Here are 5 extraordinary ways to take advantage of this alternative investment opportunity.

Air space

That’s right – you read that correctly. Your self-directed IRA has the ability to own air space. This unique alternative investment involves buying the rights to build above standard zoning requirements, and air space can actually sell for much more than the property that is built within it.

An example of purchasing air rights can be seen in Donald Trump’s preparation for building Trump Towers. Trump was only able to build these towers after buying the required air space from a local Church.

Survival Condos

When most people think of real estate, they are thinking above the ground. However, this is not always the case. The world may not have ended in 2012, as the Mayans predicted, but some people are still preparing for this fate (or some version of it) through the purchase of underground survival condos. Popular among the affluent, these survival condos have a history of selling out as quickly as they are built.

Dude Ranches

Combining livestock, overnight accommodations, and agro-tourism, dude ranches offer a unique form of commercial real estate. These establishments have been known to draw attention, with affluent adventurers choosing them as a vacation destination (such as President Franklin D. Roosevelt).

Billboards

Billboards are an overlooked form of real estate, but they offer the potential for significant real estate returns through the sale of advertising space. This form of property does not typically require as much maintenance and attention as traditional real estate investments. Additionally, they can be purchased without the capital necessary for residential rental properties.

Overseas Rental Properties

Looking for an excuse to visit the Bahamas? Scoping out new investment properties could be your answer. Self-directed IRAs can invest in alternative investments offshore, including real estate. You can choose between vacation rentals or long-term housing options. (Standard rules regulating dealings with disqualified people still apply to these properties.)

Now that you have some unique ideas for investing in real estate with your self-directed IRA, check out some of the investing strategies that you can take advantage of to put them to use. Always remember to perform due diligence before entering into an agreement.